Skype is reaching out to people without a PC and is coming out witrh low-cost calling services beyond computers to new types of phones. At the Consumer Electronics Show here, Skype said it was introducing 12 new phones and related phone accessories in conjunction with telecommunications equipment suppliers.

The models include a dual-mode phone from Netgear Inc. SPH200D, which enables users to place and receive both traditional phone calls and Skype Internet calls from a single cordless handset. The device connects both to a standard telephone wall jack and a broadband Internet router.

So enjoy Skype’s low cost phones without a PC. Time to get your folks hooked on to Skype if you live far away from them. Calls made to other Skype users are free, while calls placed to non-Skype users worldwide incur charges that are typically lower than standard telephone company calling plans. Skype counted 136 million registered users of its phone services worldwide at the end of September.

Linksys beat Apple and launched the iPhone. But before you get the wrong idea the iPhone is a company’s line of VoIP phones, which now includes two newcomers: The Dual-Mode Internet Telephony Kit for Skype and the Wireless-G Phone for Skype.

The Dual-Mode Internet Telephony Kit for Skype ($179.99) includes a cordless, VoIP phone and base station that connects to a home Ethernet connection. The phone also works over an existing landline, and does not need to be connected to a computer to function with VoIP. It has a 4,000 color capable screen with 128×128 pixels and is rated for 120 hours of standby time and 10 hours of talk time.

The white Wireless-G Phone for Skype ($199.99) has 802.11b and g connectivity so it can make calls via Wi-Fi, which should make it useful in heavily hot spot dotted areas. It’s 4.65 inches long by 1.77 inches wide and 0.81 inches thick. It comes with a 1.8-inch display with 128×160 pixels that supports 65,000 colors

Skype comes pre-loaded on both phones, and they both have speakerphone capabilities.

My business partner Mike Rundle has been talking to me non-stop the past week about getting a VOIP phone and I never understood why he would do something like that because if you get the right cellphone plan you should be alright. However, when you are a company that does business on a global platform we don’t have the option to always use our cellphones and that’s when Skype comes into play. The problem we have with Skype though is that many times our computer drop the calls and we have to reboot just to start over again and that’s what makes the Linksys CIT200 Skype phone so appealing to me.

By using an USB base I am able to walk around the office while still using my Skype account to talk to clients and partners worldwide. Unfortunately, the phone only works with Windows and they don’t have plans to support Mac or Linux anytime soon. WTF they are thinking I have no idea.

TMC were fortunate enough to review the phone and offered this conclusion:

Overall, the Linksys CIT200 is a great wireless Skype solution that is a perfect alternative to your typical Skype headset solution. It has excellent range, very good battery life, and most importantly you can access your Skype contacts from the phone itself so you’re not chained to the PC for dialing or taking calls. It’s worth mentioning that most people are not using Skype as a landline replacement though many are using broadband VoIP providers such as Vonage to replace their landline. Part of the reason is that Skype requires your PC to be on all the time and you have to be at your PC to initiate dialing. However, if you take the Linksys CIT200 and add in a SkypeIn PSTN number along with pay-as-you-go SkypeOut minutes, and the ability to make outbound dialing away from the PC, then the CIT200 could be the perfect home landline replacement.

Until they offer a Mac option it looks as though I am sticking with my non-trusty iSight.